Something Beautiful
by FictionHobbit
Summary: Skitt falls for a girl who nobody ever notices. Teaching her to love herself in the process.
1. Default Chapter

Something Beautiful  
  
Written by: FictionHobbit for a friend for her birthday. Brooke belongs to her.   
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing! The Song is by Jars of Clay. Newsies.. yeah I own um.... riight.   
  
Waking up that morning, Micheal "Skittery" Behr felt something very different was about to occur in his life. Skittery quickly made his way to the D.C. and bought his papes. Something was telling him to head to a different selling spot that morning. standing at the gate, he looked right then left. On the air coming from the left there was a faint scent of baking bread and electricity. Hid feet took him towards the bread. Even if he couldn't buy the bread he could trick his stomach into thinking it were full of that delicious food. He ended up down wind on a corner a few shops away from said bakery. Finding a few headlines to improve he set out to work, the feeling that something life altering would happen only became stronger as the hours ticked by, That's when it happened.  
  
On his last paper, Skittery didn't see the person come running out of the bakery towards him until it was too late. The two of them landed in a heap on the ground. "Geroff wouldja?" Skittery growled at the person lying on top of him with a shove.  
  
"Stop 'im! Police!" a woman hollered, staring in Skittery's direction as the man who had bumped into the dumbfounded newsie got up and sprang away.  
  
'Why's dis shit gotta happen ta me? I ain't gettin' involved. Dat lady ain't my problem. Ignore it,' Skittery thought as the woman's pleading became more insistant.   
  
"Somebody, please! It's all we have," the distressed careworn lady continued.   
  
'Where is everybody?' Skittery watched for others to help the lady. There was no one else. 'Poifect,' he rolled his eyes., taking off after the thief. Unfortunately for the reluctant hero the bulls showed up as he apprehended the thief, taking them both into custody and who believes a newsies has honorable intention? Nobody.   
  
Officer Blowhard, as Skittery dubbed him, pushed him back to the bakery. Officer Needle Nose, another Skittery creation, escorted the thief ahead of them. Arriving at the bakery, Blowhard demanded Skittery apologize and give back the money. "It was these two, wasn't it, ma'am? We caught 'em fightin' over the money," Blowhard bragged about doing his job.  
  
"Well no, Officer. It was the blonde. The newsie was merely getting my money back for me," she explained as Needle Nose searched the thief, giving back the money.  
  
"Oh please. Ma'am, leave the thinking to us men. This one was an accomplise," Blowhard retorted smugly. This didn't go over well. The look she gave him would have knocked over a smaller man, dead. Blowhard swallowed loudly but remained, otherwise, undaunted.  
  
"You can't do anythin if I don't press charges. The blond is the problem. Take him away and leave us," she nearly growled.  
  
Shaking his head in a mixture of disbelief and pity, Blowhard unshackled Skittery's wrists and the officers escorted the blonde off.  
  
When they were gone, the greying lady smiled warmly at the newsie hiding her pity. "I'm sorry about that, young man. Can I get you anything to repay you? If you hadn't stopped that punk this week's salary would have vanished," she finally spoke. Her eyes showing the gratitude she could not verbally express. As she said these words, she took his hand between her caloused and wrinkled ones. Years of hard work manifested itself in them.  
  
'Some a dat money'd be nice,' Skittery thought, his mind seeing all the cash he'd just given up. The brown haired newsie had never seen so much money in his life. "Nah. Thank ya, dough," he answered, beginning to walk away.  
  
"Young man! Please at least lemme give ya a little somethin'. Have you eaten lunch yet?" Skittery answered negatively. "That settles it. Pick anything in the bakery you wish to eat and it's yours," she grinned, pulling him inside her shop. Going inside, he had no idea his life would change so drastically in such a short time.  
  
Skittery's mouth watered at the sight before his eyes. Licking his lips hungrily, he pointed out a chocolate covered delicacy. Skittery didn't know he had become a dessert for the eyes of somebody else hiding in the shadows of the kitchen. Sitting down to devour his snack and a glass of milk, his eyes fell on the kitchen door where a girl, who appeared around his age, stood mostly hidden by the shadow of the door.The older woman, Mrs. David, as she had introduced herself as, rattled on, her voice lost to him by that time. "Pardon me, Mrs. David, but who's dat?" Skittered inquired, gerturing towards the kitchen door, now vacant. 'She was right dere! What's goin' on?' he thought, polishing off the second glass of milk.  
  
"She's nobody to be concerned about. I'll be right back. Eat up dear," Mrs. David dismissed the girl with a wave of her, excused herself into the kitchen where Skittery could discearn yelling then a loud b'THWAP'b as if somebody had been hit. 


	2. Bleeding In the Alley and Suprising Intr...

Shout Outs:  
  
Spotted One: Here's more!   
  
Neffie: Here she is! Weeeeeeeeeee  
  
Drama-Queen: Thanks for reading. Hope it lives up to expectations.  
  
Mondie: MRS DAVID? Blech shes evil  
  
Rae Kelly: Writer's block is the devil  
  
KeZa: Yes drooling on the keyboard is bad. I'm updating it already wee. Police fic... any time you wanna  
  
Derby: Here's more. Glad ya like it  
  
Mist: *FictionHobbit is handcuffed to Skittery, giggling madly* No getting hit is bad very bad. *nods*   
  
  
  
Something Beautiful Chapter 2  
  
Bleeding In the Alley and Surprising Introductions  
  
  
Skittery went back every day for three months. Each day he saw *her*. Each day she was hiding from the world. He left after buying another croussant, determined to find out just who this girl was. In his mind he had built up a story about a girl who lived her life afraid. Basically a perfect angel who needed rescuing. He would soon find something different. That last morning, he left the bakery with every intention of finding out who this mystery girl was. Doubling back behind the bakery, Skittery slipped into the alley, making his way back to the bakery. What found his dark brown orbs made his breath catch in his throat. He could not make his feet move forward to confront the girl. She sat in the alley behind the bakery, a piece of glass glinting in her hand. 'What the Hell?' he thought to himself before he saw the glass enter her fore arm just below the elbow. "'Ey! What's a rich goil like youse doin' dat fah? Gimme dat!" he walked up, snatched the bloody piece of glass from her, tossing it aside, and tied part of an apron which hung nearby, forgotten by it's owner, above the wound to stop the bleeding.  
  
"Can't you mind your own business?" she sobbed, holding her arm up to stop the bleeding. She resembled a scared, wounded puppy, except this wound was self inflicted. She sat with her knees drawn up to her chin, her good arm slung over her knees. He'd never seen her up close like this. The girl was pretty nondescript. Brown mousy, straight hair hung loose to her shoulders. Her eyes were also brown. They lacked the sparkle and shine he'd seen in most girls didn't have a care in the world. To be polite she was chunky. The corset she wore was stretched out to the maxium length of the strings it was tied up with. Her wrists were thicker than his. Yes, plain was a good way to describe her. She was somebody people could easily overlook, if not to ridicule her size. Still, his heart went out to her. Anybody who sits in an alley and cuts themselves has serious problems... rich or not.  
  
"No, I can't. Tell me why you was doin' dat," he demanded, sitting beside her and pulling out a cigarette. "You'se dat goil who hides in da kitchen at the bakery, aintcha?" he asked, recognizing her eyes.   
  
She took a cigarette, lit it up and took a long drag of it before responding "What does it matter? I'm not bleeding anymore. No thanks to you". The bitterness in her voice made Skittery believe he had stumbled onto the female version of himself. Except what would she have to be bitter about? "Why do you care?" she asked, suddenly seeming to withdraw further into herself.  
  
"I hoid ya muddah hit you. Why do you let her do that? Jis run away or somethin'," he ventured, ignoring her questions. He was determined to understand her.   
  
"At least when she hits me I know I'm alive... The reason she treats me like shit is because that's all I am. Look at me! I'm ugly and fat," she added pathetically, not knowing she was asking for pity but getting it anyways, which made her feel more worthless. "I've been cutting myself for years. It makes me feel better. Can I have another cigarette?" she continued blindly, her mouth taking over before she could censor her words. Skittery gave her the cigarette without speaking, she obviously needed to get some stuff off her chest. "I deserve all those slaps. I'm stupid and ugly. Unlike my perfect sister, Janine. She's got three suitors, perfect hair and everyone loves her. I got the shit of the blood line," she laughed at her own joke.  
  
Skittery searched for another cigarette realizing his last one was in her mouth. 'Dat's jis poifect,' he thought watching her smoke it. "Well, I ain't met dis Janine but you ain't as bad as you convinced yaself ya are," he broke the uncomfortable silence a few minutes after her sobbing stopped. "If you let people get ta know ya, I'm willin' ta bet you'd be happier. If people can't take the time ta git ta know somebody dey can go fuck demselves," he nodded to emphasize his words. "You have ta open up and let people in. Risk gettin' hoit. At least dat's what my pal Swifty told me when I foist became a newsie. I was like you, in that I didn't want to get hoit so I closed myself off and made jokes about myself before somebody else could. People don't like bein' around sombody who hates themselves and brings people down," he went on when she didn't react.  
  
"Ha. You were like me? How can you be like me? You're handsome," she retorted, kicking herself for admitting her attraction to him. "I bet you have tons of friends," she added, hoping he would ignore the comment about his appearance.   
  
"Yeah. Now. You can read real good nad shit can't ya?," he fought the grin threatening to appear when she complimented him. 'Handsome? Me? I can work with this,' he thought, drawing a circle in the dirt with his shoe. "I'll make you a deal. You give me a chance to prove you wrong about how you see yourself and you teach me ta read aiight?". It had always embarassed him that he could only read a little bit.   
  
Smiling for the first time, the girl held out her hand and nodded "Deal. I'm Rebecca David by the way". When they shook hands a warm current flowed from one hand to the other and back. 


	3. Something Beautiful3A

Something Beautiful: Chapter 3  
  
A/N: Many apologies about the wait. Skitt!Muse abandoned me for a long time. But I've kidnapped him again.  
  
Shout Outs:  
  
GG: Thanks for reviewing. You won't have to wait as long as everybody else.  
  
Alison224: Thanks for reviewing. Here's the end.  
  
Rabbit: Me a good writer? Uhm... Thanks. I don't think I am but I appreciate the compliment. She's definitely not a Mary Sue. The Subtitle of this fic is The Mary Sue That Wasn't  
  
Moth: Cute?? *sigh* I inspired you for something? YAY too bad Charmed ain't it  
  
Falco Conlon: *Deep Dreamy Sigh* He's the epitome of perfection *Other muses scoff and glare* Whoops...  
  
Crunch: I planned it that way. I'm good I know *gets slapped before she can grow an ego* Right.  
  
Spotted One: And here's the Finish! WEEEEE. Okay so I lied it's the first part of the end.  
  
Raeghann: Right. The fact that she's not typical is what makes me love her more. *is no supermodel herself*  
  
Duchess: *holds up banner* I HATE MARY SUES * but is guilty of them so she quickly burns the banner and walks off with her head hung*  
  
Neffie: *guilty grin*  
  
Something Beautiful Chapter 3 and Final *bows*  
  
Rebecca and Skittery became inseparable over the next year and a half. It all started out with her bringing him books and sitting with him while he attempted reading them. Halfway through the story of Adam and Eve in the bible, the tension became too potent to ignore. Skittery read aloud with Rebecca on his shoulder. Adam and Eve proved to be a poor choice for that day.  
  
"Hungry?" Rebecca produced an apple from her knapsack, offering it to Skittery.  
  
Smirking, Skittery peaked inside her bag. "Dere ain't a snake in dere, right?" he asked, meeting her gaze. Getting an answer in the negative, Skittery placed his hand on the wrist of the hand holding the apple and moved in to bite on the one side. He watched Rebecca expectantly. Taking the hint, Rebecca bit into the other side. Seconds later, neither knew who had moved the apple but their lips met.  
  
When the short kiss broke, their expressions mirrored the shock and surprise they were both experiencing. "Where'd that come from?" Rebecca ventured when she was able to regain her voice.  
  
Skittery blinked twice. "Hell if I know. It must be dis book. Who knew religion could be so suggestive?" he tried to make light of the situation. The attempt failed.  
  
Two hours later, Skittery lay in his bunk listening to the general chaos that usually engulfed the bunkroom on afternoons when it rained, like it was at that moment. "Aiight. Who is she?" Skittery's reverie was broken by the voice of a fellow newsie.  
  
Skittery found the source of the voice, a younger curly haired boy, and scowled. "What girl? You lose your mind in the rain, Mush?"  
  
"Fine. Keep it to yourself, then. I know somethin's up and I will get to the bottom of it," Mush promised, tossing his cards onto the pile on the table he and a few of the others were playing at. The game stopped temporarily to watch the exchange.  
  
"You'se lettin' ya imagination get outta control. If your life is so boring that you need to live vicariously-" Skittery was interrupted abruptly.  
  
"Vi-what? She must be smawt. Quit usin' big woids," Specs, a brown haired bespectacled newsie, complained, climbing onto the bunk beside Skittery's.  
  
"I said 'Vicariously'. It means living through other people's experiences. Basically 'living through other people'. And for the last time... There is no girl!" with those last words, Skittery leapt from the top bunk, grabbed his shirt and jacket, heading outside.  
  
'That kiss was nothing. Rebecca's a friend and nothing more. Who am I kiddin? She's bigger than I am, though . Either way, rich, intelligent girls don't waste time with newsies,' lighting a cigarette from the pack he had Snitch steal for him, Skittery continued his inner argument as the rain came down.  
  
How long he stood out there, he didn't know. The sky turned purple then a velvety dark blue before he returned indoors. Nobody bothered him for the rest of the night. He fell asleep with Rebecca creeping into his thoughts.  
  
"You're distracted today. What's wrong?" Rebecca asked Skittery as they sat on the roof of the bakery, reading Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.  
  
In answer, as if making up his mind as he acted, the brunette shut the book with a loud snap and kissed Rebecca. After an initial moment of shock, Rebecca returned the kiss for the merest of seconds before punching Skittery in the gut. "What on Earth do you think you're doing, Skittery?" she gasped, crawling away from him a little.  
  
"At the moment, gasping for breath. What did ya do that for?" he asked, holding his stomach. His face was twisted with the pain she had inflicted. The girl packed quite a wallop.  
  
"I could ask you the same thing," she responded hotly.  
  
"Acting on an impulse, I guess I misread the signs. It won't happen again. Don't worry," was the response. The two sat in silence for a while longer before "Guess, I'll go, then". He rose to his feet and started to make his way over to the ladder on the side of the building. Out of the corner of his eye, Skittery saw Rebecca reaching out her hand as if to stop him but he kept going.  
  
Halfway down the ladder, her voice stopped him. "Look. If you're not doing anything tonight, Janine is having one of her suitors over for dinner tonight and I don't think I can sit through it alone... Think you can show up at the bakery around five? I understand if you don't want to," Rebecca tried to keep the anxiety out of her voice and make it seem like she didn't care either way what he did.  
  
Skittery climbed back up the ladder until their eyes met and nodded. "As you wish[1]" before climbing back down and making his way back to the Lodging House. Hours later, a freshly dressed in his best suit Skittery 'borrowed', okay stole Specs' pocket watch so he wouldn't be late. After the fourth person laughed at his pacing from one side of the bunkroom to the other, Skittery exploded "If I want your opinion I'll ask for it, Race," he growled, pinning the diminutive Cigar-chomping Italian to the wall by the front of his shirt.  
  
"You'se sayin' it's true, den?" Racetrack choked out, incapable to keep the amusement out of his voice. The few newsies in the room had gathered around to watch the exchange.  
  
"It's not that cow from the bakery, is it?" Jack mused, prizing the angry young newsie off of Racetrack. "It is! Skittery's movin' up in da woild, boys," he mocked, his high-pitched cackle ringing in Skittery's ears.  
  
Seeing spots before his eyes, Skittery spun to meet Jack's eye "Two things, Cowboy: Shut. Up. Rebecca's family can't help having money just like we can't help being poor as shit. She's not that big and if you can't see somebody for who they are and beyond what they look like- what?" the room had gone silent for a second before everyone present, Skittery excluded, burst into peels of laughter. With a vein twitching dangerously in his jaw, Skittery glared at Jack, checked Specs' watch and gave it back to him. "I'd love to hang around but I've got a date," ignoring the sneering faces and coughs covering laughs, Skittery left the building and walked to the bakery, stealing a bouquet of daisies from a store front.  
  
Approaching the bakery his mouth went dry, as if he had swallowed sawdust. Parked outside the modest building was a gleaming black 1903 Cadillac. This suitor must really be loaded. Skittery straightened his hat on his head and knocked on the door of the bakery. "Hi. I was hoping you'd show up," Rebecca greeted him, her usual frumpy dress replaced with a dress that was an obvious castoff of Janine's, though still very pretty on her, he noted. Without saying anything, Skittery grinned and produced the flowers he hid behind his back. "These are lovely," the girl stepped aside, taking the flowers from him and letting him enter the family's home above the bakery. As he passed through the door, Rebecca removed his hat and handed it to him.  
  
"Rebecca, go attend to dinner, you stupid girl," came her mother's voice over her shoulder. Without another word, Rebecca quickly removed herself into the kitchen. She was a different person around her family. "Michael, we're glad you could join us to celebrate Janine's engagement. Have you two met, yet? Janine, dear, come meet the young man who single-handedly saved the bakery. Do come in. Rebecca will take your coat. REBECCA! Where has that silly girl gone off to? Take his coat and be quick about it before the food is ruined," Rebecca appeared seconds later at her mother's elbow, taking Skittery's coat from him. Skittery smiled apologetically at her before being led into the living room by Mrs. David.  
  
"So this is Rebecca's little friend? Oooh, not so little, is he? It's nice of you to spend time with her. She's got so few friends," Janine's saccharine sweet voice lilted from the other side of the room where she sat with a fat, balding, pimply man at least ten years older than her, their hands clasped together. Janine would be attractive if she didn't appear to smell something constantly. Tonight Janine's silky blonde tresses were all pinned up in a complicated style that must have taken hours to perfect. Skittery thought he could make out movement inside the many curls, as if something were living inside the hair. Her dress was almost indecent for a middle class engaged girl. He was shocked the shiny blue material could actually hold all it was holding and yet show so much skin.  
  
Janine held out her hand expectantly, beaming at him from her perch beside an over weight, over dressed, prematurely graying man who sneered at him with an air of superiority. Skittery took her hand and shook it, catching Rebecca's eye who, unable to hide her smile, kissed her own hand as if telling Skittery what he was supposed to do with the hand. He quickly corrected himself and sat in an empty chair across the room. Suddenly remembering she was seated beside another man, Janine nodded at the suitor and added "This is Martin Du Pont". The two men shook hands curtly, Martin seemed to be intimidated by Janine's attention on Skittery because he gripped the young man's entirely too tightly, probably hoping to break his fingers. When his hand was released Skittery sat back down, finding Rebecca standing beside his chair.  
  
"Everybody has a drink so here you go. It's your favorite," without waiting for Skittery to reply, Rebecca scurried back out to the kitchen after handing the glass over.  
  
The girls' father, who it appeared, Rebecca had taken after, cleared his throat and turned to the suitor, continuing the discussion Skittery must have interrupted by arriving at that moment. "As I was saying, Martin, we want our daughter taken care of. Unlike Rebecca, Janine is too good for menial labor. I need assurance that you are the man to take care of her. She's not to work at all," his voice filled the room, dominating the conversation.  
  
At the mention of her name, Skittery's eyes sought out Rebecca to catch her reaction to the way her father spoke of her like some sort of mule. There was a far off, glazed over, haunted look in her eyes. She appeared to not even hear what was being said about her. The next minute she slipped back into the kitchen out of sight.  
  
Martin shook his head, chortling "Of course not, Charles. My family's business is doing very well, as you know. I've got so many servants I can't move three feet at any of our houses with out tripping over one," everyone in the room, except Skittery, guffawed appreciatively at Martin's joke.  
  
"And what is it that you do, Mister... Behr was it? My wife has told me before but I hardly ever listen to what women have to say," the room erupted into laughter yet again.  
  
"I's- That is I'm a newsboy, sir. I don't intend to be doing that forever, though," he answered, noting the looks of disapproval and loathing, as if the newsie had no right to be dirtying up their home. Why had Skittery accepted Rebecca's invitation in the first place? He belonged here as much as her sister belonged at the Lodging House. Speaking of Janine, why was she looking at Skittery as if he were a piece of meat she wanted to devour?  
  
"So you're hoping that people can rise above their station in life, are you?" Martin's eyes rolled as if to emphasize just how ridiculous the idea was.  
  
Lucky for Martin, Rebecca came in the room before Skittery could react. His eye twitched dangerously. "Dinner's ready," she squeezed his shoulder to get him to quit glaring at Martin and follow her into the dining room. The group got to their feet and filed around the table to eat.  
  
With Mister David at the head of the table Janine scrambled to get to her place beside him, pulling Martin into the seat on the other side of her. Mrs. David sank down beside Martin at the end of the table. There was only one seat left on the other side. Skittery pulled it out and watched Rebecca expectantly. He'd seen other men do this before. "Aren't you joining us?" he asked when she didn't sit automatically.  
  
"She's already gorged herself while making the meal, most likely. I'm surprised so much is left," Janine replied, the others sounded their agreement, watching Rebecca and Skittery.  
  
"It's not a big deal, Mike. I'll be okay," Rebecca spoke up after the pregnant pause. She backed away toward the kitchen as if to escape.  
  
Skittery let go of the chair and held out his hand to her "I came here to be with you," he reminded her as she took his hand and sat down in his seat. Skittery retrieved a chair, utensils and a plate before joining the table again.  
  
Dinner was filled with more of the same. Lots of putting down Rebecca. Maybe they see it as a game? A fun little past-time. Sick bastards. Skittery concentrated on the plate before him, not sure if his reacting the way he wanted to the situation would help or hinder Rebecca.  
  
"I think maybe a June wedding on my estate would be lovely," Martin agreed amiably with Janine who was gushing at him when she wasn't undressing Skittery with her eyes.  
  
"It's just too bad I was given only one daughter," Mr. David laughed heartily at his own joke.  
  
This was too much. Hearing Rebecca inhale sharply as her fork dropped to the plate, Skittery cleared his throat to speak. "Mr. David, I've got something I've been meaning to ask you".  
  
Put off by being interrupted, Mr. David coughed loudly and rumbled "What would that be, Michael?" The other man looked like he wanted nothing more than to kill Skittery at that moment... that is if he had the balls to do so in the first place, which he didn't.  
  
He unabashedly stared right back at the older red faced gentleman. "When Janine is married off who's going to take up the considerable slack around your bakery?" the sarcasm was not lost on anyone in the room. Rebecca's napkin leapt to her mouth and she caught Skittery's eye for a second, her eyes dancing merrily.  
  
"Looking for a job, boy?" he seemed intrigued, ignoring everyone in the room but Skittery.  
  
"No, sir, I'm not. I was actually going to suggest you train Rebecca to take over the business. You and Mrs. David are getting along in years. Wouldn't it be better for you to live in the lap of luxury for whatever time you both have left?" the plan seemed to be working. Both parents seemed to love this idea while Martin appeared ready to cry.  
  
"You, girl. What do you say to this idea?" the tub of lard shouted at Rebecca, making her jump.  
  
Before answering, Rebecca met Skittery's eye once more. This time extreme gratitude mixed with a spark he'd never seen before from her. He liked it. "I think you both deserve some peace. After all you've put up with me long enough. I owe you," she was laying it on thick. Let's hope not too thick.  
  
"Jan! Oh, wouldn't it be wonderful? Oh, please, can we?" his wife begged him, as Rebecca started clearing away the dishes. Skittery got up to help her, knowing neither of them would be missed.  
  
"That was awful crafty of you. Thanks," Rebecca mused as the two of them washed the dinner dishes and pots. The two worked in a peaceful silence for some time. Silence, that is, until he caught sight of her naked arm. She had been cutting again.  
  
"How can you stand it? These people are vicious," he inquired, setting the last of the dishes in their cupboard and stroking her arm lightly. "You've been doing it again," his voice was filled with concern but the last sentence was more an accusation than anything else.  
  
"And? I don't see how it's any of your business," she growled, snatching her arm from Skittery's grip. Her eyes betrayed her words. The concern he showed toward her seemed, however momentarily, to melt the ice wall that surrounded Rebecca at all times.  
  
Skittery smirked knowingly and put up the last dish after drying it. "You look really nice tonight. Not as painted up and prissy as your sister," he complimented her, watching her from his perch on a stool next to the kitchen counter. This did not have the desired effect. Instead of blushing and thanking him cutely she rolled her eyes.  
  
"You don't have to lie to me. I know I'm not as beautiful as she is," Rebecca chortled, pealing an apple in one long strip, her lips pursed in a thin line of concentration.  
  
Crossing the floor in two strides, Skittery closed the distance between them and cupped her chin in his hands, forcing Rebecca to look him in the eyes. "Am I lying?"  
  
Smiling softly, she placed her hands on his and whispered "thank you. You looked rather handsome yourself tonight. I'm sorry they're such unbearable snobs," before looking away and continuing to cut up the apple she had just skinned. Skittery sat back on the stool and watched her silently. A minute passed by until she walked over to him and touched his chin, getting him to open his mouth so she could place an apple slice in it, letting her finger tips linger in his mouth for the briefest of seconds.  
  
Swallowing the apple with difficulty, Skittery shrugged "Used to it. They're worse to you, honestly".  
  
"Still doesn't make it right," she answered, eating some of the apple. "When do you need to be back?" she asked suddenly, noticing the sky outside the kitchen window was filled with stars and a full moon.  
  
"Trying to get rid of me?" he teased, the tip of his finger running slowly down her arm.  
  
"Not even! Be serious. I don't want you to be in trouble," she scolded, settling into his touch.  
  
"Kloppman, my boss, locks up around nine, usually. Since we have to get up at the ass crack of dawn to collect the papes to sell. I can cop a sleep on the fire escape. I'll be alright," he answered absently, watching how the moonlight drifted through the window into her hair, making it seem less plain that night.  
  
"You'll do no such thing. Be at the back door in two hours. We'll see what I can do for you," she ordered, her voice taking on that of a mother who worried about her child.  
  
Before Skittery could respond, Janine sauntered in, smelling of alcohol, placing her arm around his waist. "You're hogging my company, Rebecca. Go clean something," Janine tried to dismiss her sister.  
  
Stepping away from Janine, Skittery placed his hand on Rebecca's waist. "Glad you got that out of your system. Isn't your fiancée waiting, Janine? I came here to be with Rebecca," he cut in, pulling Rebecca closer when she attempted to break free from his hand.  
  
A horrified disbelief clouded Janine's perfect features. With a particularly ugly look gracing her face, Janine spun on her heel and stormed out of the kitchen. "Wh-What do you want from me, Mike?" Rebecca asked, her voice shaking with emotion. A tear slid down her cheek.  
  
"Nothing but your company. I enjoy spending time with you, Beck. Whether or not what we have goes anywhere I'm not goin' anywhere," he reassured her, slowly tracing circles along the bodice of Rebecca's dress. Seconds later chaos broke out. A deafening roar sounded from the living room as the kitchen door sprang open on the pair.  
  
Skittery was pulled off his feet and thrown to the other side of the room "Sabotage! Get away from my daughter," Mister David hissed, letting Skittery fall to the floor.  
  
"Papa, we weren't doing anything," Rebecca argued, kneeling down and wiping blood from Skittery's bottom lip which had gotten caught on the table top during the fall. "Skitt- I mean Michael wouldn't take advantage of me... because I can beat him up," Rebecca reassured her father who glared down at the couple on the floor.  
  
Of course, Janine wasn't helping matters at all. She stomped around hysterically going on and on about how she found the two of them hugged up real tight and that he was kissing her.  
  
Angry that I turned you down for your sister, are you? Psychopath. Skittery watched the scene transpire as if he were not there. The two sisters stood screaming at each other; Martin had slipped out earlier in the evening. When his name was brought up again Skittery snapped to attention. "I'm not the one throwing myself at a newsie when my fiancée is in the same room just because I'm an undersexed, bored, ladder climbing, socialite poser. You just can't stand it that a man might actually turn you down for your ugly fat sister. And you two... I'll have you know, he's the first person in my life I have felt love from. He loves me unconditionally, fat and all and he hates that I turn into a doormat when I'm with you. He's taught me that I deserve to be loved and feel safe and return that love". As she continued her diatribe, Rebecca turned to face Skittery and reached for his hand. "And I do return it. So much my heart may burst".  
  
Not twelve hours ago she slapped me for kissing her and now she says she loves me? What? I'm confused.  
  
Betcha never thought this would be updated? One more chapter and it'll over. Wow. ----------------------- [1]In The Princess Bride, the main dude, Westley, says 'As you wish' and means 'I love you' 


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